It was good. Really good. But am I just on the cultural bandwagon, or was it really good? The plot follows the ascension to the throne of King T'Challa after the assassination of his father in the last Avengers installation. He is King of Wakanda, a central African country that has built amazing technology and prosperity based on having extensive vibranium resources from an ancient meteor strike. And all of this prosperity is kept secret (with vibranium based cloaking devices) from the world, making Wakanda one of the most isolationist countries in existence. With the vacant throne, there is talk about being more expansionist, and a cousin with a claim to the throne shows up.
What I particularly like about this film is pacing. With most action/comic movies, if I have time to think I am bored. Mostly because there is nothing to really think about. But here, the movie offers appropriate time to think, and to think about weighty cultural/political issues. What is the responsibility of the wealth to the global poor? Is it possible to be politically benevolent without striving for empire? What are the mechanisms to transmit cultural values from one generation to the next? How does the voice of the diaspora affect the thinking of those at home? Does a history of oppression and colonialization necessarily mean a future of the same? Can 'one side' unilaterally change the thinking of 'the other side'? The fact that I am asked to think about these things, and am given time during viewing to formulate thoughts well enough for them to stick is amazing. Add in to these important issues the fact that the film is full of action, cool tech with pretty good physics (love the Chladni figure title sequence) and superhero banter that made me laugh out loud and you really have a great film. This is what sci-fi is all about.
5 stars (out of 5)
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